Understanding HB 3320 and SB 1461

Recent legislative activity involving HB 3320 and SB 1461 has raised questions about how the measures relate to Oklahoma Educational Television Authority and its future authorization structure.

Both bills were vetoed by Governor Kevin Stitt. This week, the Oklahoma House of Representatives voted 92-0 to override the Governor’s veto of HB 3320. The measure now moves to the Oklahoma Senate for consideration.

What is HB 3320?

HB 3320, authored by Rep. Mike Osburn, addresses Oklahoma’s broader sunset review framework for numerous smaller state boards, commissions and agencies.

The legislation would eliminate sunset provisions for those entities, including OETA.

Under Oklahoma’s current sunset process, agencies periodically undergo legislative review and reauthorization in order to continue operating.

HB 3320 would remove OETA from that recurring sunset cycle.

What is SB 1461?

SB 1461 specifically relates to OETA.

Rather than removing the sunset process entirely, the bill would extend OETA’s current sunset date from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2036.

In practical terms:

• HB 3320 would remove OETA from the recurring sunset review cycle
• SB 1461 would extend OETA’s sunset date by ten years

Recent Legislative Action

Governor Kevin Stitt vetoed both HB 3320 and SB 1461.

The Oklahoma House of Representatives later voted 92-0 to override the veto of HB 3320. The measure now heads to the Oklahoma Senate for consideration.

SB 1461 also remains pending before the Senate after being vetoed.

“OETA appreciates the thoughtful consideration and bipartisan support shown throughout this process by members of the Oklahoma Legislature,” said Shawn Black, Executive Director of OETA. “For nearly 70 years, OETA has been a tremendous public-private partnership that serves all of Oklahoma.”

OETA’s Statewide Role

As Oklahoma’s largest classroom and the state’s distance learning agency, OETA provides more than 35,000 hours of non-commercial programming annually, along with:

• Free standards-aligned educational resources
• Professional development opportunities
• Literacy and STEM initiatives
• Lifelong learning opportunities for Oklahoma families and educators

OETA’s statewide network reaches 100% of Oklahomans through 18 transmitters, while more than 650,000 viewers tune in weekly across broadcast and streaming platforms.

Public Safety and Infrastructure

OETA also serves as a critical public safety partner through WARN, the Warning, Alert, Response Network, which helps ensure severe weather warnings, AMBER alerts and other emergency messages continue reaching Oklahomans across all 77 counties, even during network disruptions.

The State of Oklahoma recently invested approximately $3 million in critical infrastructure upgrades to OETA’s broadcast network, helping modernize and strengthen the system of four towers and 14 translators that deliver service across the state. Those upgrades are expected to sustain the network’s broadcast capabilities for the next 20 years and beyond.

Continuing the Legislative Process

Friends of OETA is coordinating advocacy efforts alongside legislative advocates and community supporters to help communicate the importance of OETA’s continued service to Oklahoma.

OETA will continue following legislative developments and working cooperatively with state leaders as the process moves forward.